NOTES for Лк 4:12
There are many people in the world who claim, with varying degrees of sincerity, that they would certainly believe in God if God proved to them that He really exists. At the same time it is implied that the proof must be completely obvious and convincing. In essence, in such a case people usually speak of a demonstration, not simply of proof. It would seem that it would cost God nothing to convince anyone of His existence, if only He decided to demonstrate Himself, His power, and His miracles.
But for some reason He does not do this. The devil, on the contrary, incites Jesus to demonstrate what God refuses to demonstrate. A kind of peculiar levitation. Hovering over the abyss. So that everyone who saw it would be convinced: before them was no ordinary man, but Someone possessing supernatural power. And of course they would follow Him. Why would the devil need that? Does he need the people to follow the Messiah?
Sometimes, as can be seen, he would not object. Sometimes it even turns out to be to his advantage. But only in one case: if the Messiah stops being Himself and becomes what people would like to see Him be. People of just that sort, who would follow God too, but only after a convincing demonstration. And they would follow as they are, without changing inwardly at all. Then it would be the devil's victory. It is not by chance that God refuses demonstrations. He does not intend to attract anyone to Himself by force or miracles.
For even God's power is an external factor for the human heart. The only inner factor for a person is God's love, because it always comes from within. From the depth of the heart. And it cannot be proved. It cannot be demonstrated outwardly as power or miracles can be demonstrated. But one can follow God only when one follows His love. This is essential; in God's love is His depth, and in this way the fullness of His person is revealed to us. Power and miracles also, of course, come from Him, but they are not the center of His person, only its periphery.
He wants to make us part of His life essentially, not only outwardly. And the Messiah came into the world precisely for this. He came to bring the Kingdom into the world. The Kingdom, in which abiding presupposes relationships of that very love which is the revelation of God's depth. But the devil advises Him to leave the depth and, instead of depth, to show people the surface. The outer shell. The periphery instead of the center. And then he, the devil, will win his victory. For he can somehow adapt even to God's power and to God's miracles. Only one thing truly terrifies him: God's love.